We All Love… Silly Pet Pictures

Seen here, Izzy, the dog has “rescued” a discarded empty of chips from the trash bin, apparently in hopes of obtaining a smidgen of a tasty morsel. / Photo by SRL

Do Animals…

Things like this – Cat LOL videos, stories of animals having friendships, and other similarly expressive photos & stories (such as the depressed goat which was separated from, then was reunited with it’s longtime donkey companion) – are quite fascinating.

The reason why should be self-evident. Which is, that we find them humorous or entertaining because we ascribe human traits to animals.

From childhood, I never considered the

People can never predict when hard times might come.

Death Comes to All

1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad,^a ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.

3It seems so tragic that

Bad Theology

Bad Theology

Originally uploaded by SouthernBreeze

In a previous entry, I had shared that I didn’t write much – if at all – about religion, theology and the like in this blog. And, that’s correct.

However, in my photostream – photoblog/phlog/phoblog, etc., whatever you want to call it (I think I’ll call it “phlog”) – I do write about such things.

Go figure.

Here’s one such example.

Bon apétit!

Some folks (certain Protestant denominations) make open mock and deride

Not a “real” Catholic blog

Whatever does “that” mean?

Oh… nothing.

Yeah, I’m Catholic.

Yes, I blog.

But I don’t write about religion, particularly. Nor do I write about the Church, the Pope, theology or stuff like that. It’s not that I have any opposition to so doing – writing about such topics – but that

Thoughts upon awakening

Well, I reckon I “got my nap out.”

I’m awake.

And now, I’m thinking.

“If you’re awake, you should be thinking.”

That’s not my original line, but I’ll make it my own.

But this one is my original

Time for a humor break

A long-time friend of mine regularly gives me humor breaks.

Here’s what I mean by that.

Ash Wednesday, Triduum & Lent

Lent is a particularly sacred time of the liturgical year because it marks the beginning of the time of Christ’s suffering before His crucifixion  – which, of course, leads to His resurrection, which is a time of, and cause for rejoicing!

This year, I have decided to sacrifice coffee during Lent. We sacrifice things in our lives as a reminder that we are to mortify our flesh, which also serves as a reminder to more fully devote our lives to Christ, Who was the Agnus Dei – the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Perhaps this year, you may make a good effort to

Publisher sues “faith healer” Benny Hinn: Violated contract’s “Morality clause”

Helpful hint for Benny Hinn:

KEEP YOUR PENIS IN YOUR PANTS!

NOT your twice-divorced neighbor’s wife’s pants!

Benny said, “I forcefully, categorically, and absolutely renounce the lies that have been spread about me and want to set the record straight with you. There is nothing inappropriate or morally improper about my friendship with Paula White. There has been no immorality whatsoever!”

Hey, Benny... answer this question for us, bro. Were your penis AND your hands, or any other part of your body anywhere else other than on your person?

Hell no, man! We got the pics, bro! Your hand was in hers! So the only question that remains is, “What other body parts were in or on her body parts?”

Huh?

C’mon, bro Benny… man up. Were you sexual with her?

It’s time for some brutal honesty here, man.

Are you a

Theology Throwdown

A regular visitor and commenter upon my blog – one whom I also appreciate – recently posted a remark that, “Catholics pray to Mary, and Jesus said, “no man comes to the Father except through me.”

Never mind the fact that that sentence is like a metaphorical mix – or rather, a mixing of one’s metaphors. It’s like asserting that a ‘stitch in time saves a cat’s nine lives,’ or ‘a penny saved is no use crying over spilled milk.’ It’s totally discombobulated.

That remark was prefaced with the statement that

“Say ‘hello’ to Jesus for me.”

Several years ago a friend of mine was suffering from terminal cancer. He is now deceased.

At his request one afternoon,

Experience – Is it the WORST teacher, or the BEST?

Someone once wrote that experience is the WORST teacher, because it gives a test FIRST… THEN teaches the lesson AFTERWARD.

In some way, I rather think that correct, while – as you’ll read – in yet another perspective, it may be the best… but only if you listen.

“Ching chong, ching chong cha.”

“Ching chong, ching chong cha.”

Ching chong, ching chong cha. Ching chong, ching

Chicago exorcist: The ‘evil one’ is very real

Logically, one cannot disprove the negative.

Think about that a little while.

Chicago exorcist: The ‘evil one’ is very real – Chicago Sun-Times.

BY KATIE DREWS, ChicagoCatholicNews.com – Jan 18, 2011, 10:45AM

As the official exorcist for the Archdiocese of Chicago, it’s the Rev. Jeffrey Grob’s job to expel demons from those cursed by the devil. But when it comes to demonic possession, Grob is the first to admit

Pope blesses special lambs on Feast of St. Agnes

I am humbled to be adopted into the family of God, and equally humbled to be a part of this historical family of faith and tradition.

Each family has traditions, and none are without significance or meaning. Just as the Almighty on several occasions told various Israelites to ‘stack a pile of rocks at this location to remind your children of the wonderful things God has done for you’ (my paraphrase) – in other words, He instructed them to start a tradition – each beautiful thing, every ceremony, celebration, and word has significance, and meaning that is designed to remind us of His goodness and attributes. Incense? Prayers of the Saints! Red color? The precious Blood.

Read on to learn about one of the special traditions!

Pope blesses special lambs on Feast of St. Agnes

The Basilica of St. Agnes outside-the-walls/ An archbishop's pallium

Pope blesses special lambs on Feast of St. Agnes
By Alan Holdren, Rome Correspondent

Rome, Italy, Jan 21, 2011 / 05:50 pm (CNA/EWTN News).

– After an unusual journey, a pair of lambs destined for great things were blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in a traditional ceremony at the Vatican on Jan. 21.

The soft, pure wool from the little lambs will be used to make

A Bonus Item!

On this Friday, I certainly hope you had a few good laughs from the weekday series Ten Great Tips for 2011.

No doubt, by now, you’ve either heard about, or read

Ten Great Tips for 2011: #4

Wow!

Can you imagine it!?!

Here we are, on the twelfth day of the New Year!

January is almost half way over!

You know what that means…

Springtime is on its way!

And, as promised, today is the fourth of the weekday installments in our Ten Great Tips for 2011!

Let’s see that #4 is!

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

An anti-Christian chapter in Western history is about to begin. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise.

By Michael Spencer
posted March 10, 2009 at 12:00 am EDT
The Christian Science Monitor – CSMonitor.com
http://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/print/content/view/print/243294

Oneida, KY – We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West.

Within two generations, evangelicalism will be

God… with a big I and my Rose

Sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem. Some call it ‘the irony of life,’ though it may be known by other names. It is indeed fascinating to note that what we see is often not what it is – or the true nature of a thing. There are reams and volumes galore of books written upon such the subject, which touches upon art, science, philosophy and religion.

Recently, having been blessed by reading an old prayer that indeed succinctly expressed the irony of life through faith, I had decided to share it with a dear friend.

Following is his response, then the prayer:

I think I first encountered this prayer while

The Priests who Survived the Atomic Bomb

Miracles happen daily.

They just don’t get much press.

Why?

“… a small community of Jesuit Fathers living in a presbytery near the parish church, which was situated less than a mile away from detonation point, well within the radius of total devastation. And all eight members of this community escaped virtually unscathed from the effects of the bomb. Their presbytery

The Mute, Poignant Ironies of a Life Well Lived

Ironies are rarely mute.

It’s just that they choose to speak afterward.

They’re kinda’ like God.

It’s sometimes said that, “Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.” Or, as a dear friend of mine once put it, “I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe in God-incidence.”

Thanks be to God, I’ve recently accepted an offer of employment in my field, and will shortly be relocating to be more near that job. For me, that means an out-of-state move. I am thankful… IMMENSELY thankful, for the opportunity, in so many different ways.

As part of my expression of thanks, I had written a note of thanks to one of my Flickr contacts recently, and wanted to share the essence of that letter with you all.

So, with little editing, what follows below represents the gist of the idea I shared in the message.

And before you read further, be aware that this note contains very poignant irony.

Enjoy!